Dairy cows: middling silage qualities selectively supplemented

Two concepts – one objective

Weather conditions last year meant that farms faced a huge challenge when they harvested their grass silage. It was often impossible to harvest at the optimum time and this had an impact on silage quality. This resulted in high crude fibre contents in particular. Silage maize has also been harvested with excessively high dry matter and crude fibre contents due to the dry, hot late summer. As a result, silages overall had a reduced energy content. Also, food intake dropped because the high crude fibre content of silages means that they take longer to pass through the digestive tract.

It is vital to adjust feeds to compensate for such middling quality in order to prevent deterioration in health and output losses. AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG offers, among other things, two particular approaches, based on supplement feeds, in order to avoid energy deficiencies and the associated negative effects on the health and performance of cows. While using Crystalyx lick blocks makes it possible to increase staple feed intake and improve digestion in the rumen, using Miravit KuhPower aims to boost the energy content of rations and reduce strain on the rumen.

Use of Miravit KuhPower

Miravit KuhPower enhances rations with gentle energy sources; fats are the most energy-rich feed for ruminants. Their energy content is 20 to 25 MJ net energy for lactation per kilogram (2.5 times the energy content of grain). The fat content of the entire ration should not exceed 5%. Miravit KuhPower is a supplement feed which contains, among other ingredients, protected palm fat and extruded linseed. It is used to increase the energy content of the overall ration.

The palm fat it contains is protected against degradation in the rumen and is only metabolised into usable energy in the small intestine. This has the advantage that microbes do not have to work too hard in the rumen and relieves the strain on both the rumen and the liver. Palatable components such as linseed and beet pulp ensure good feed intake (even when fed by hand). The high dextrose content provides an easily digestible energy source and helps compensate for any bovine energy deficiency.

Use of Crystalyx lick blocks

Crystalyx lick blocks aid the digestion of crude fibre in the rumen. Crystalyx also increases the number of microbes in the rumen as well as ruminal microbial activity. This improves the digestion of raw fibres and/or NDF digestion in the rumen. It also reduces the retention time of the feed in the digestive tract. Consequently, the staple feed intake is increased with a correspondingly higher energy intake.

Crystalyx contains a high portion of dehydrated (drained) molasses and vegetable fats. The high sugar and energy content resulting from this compensates for the limited sugar content in many grass silages. The energy value of 200 grams of this supplement feed alone complies with a calculative performance increase of 0.5 kg of milk. Additionally, the constant licking stimulates saliva production and thereby rumen buffering. Overall, using Crystalyx results in an efficient, ruminant-appropriate increase in total energy intake. This prevents typical secondary conditions caused by energy deficiencies.

Further information can be obtained from Dominique Jeske, Tel.: 0173 7293226 or email dominique.jeske@agravis.de or from Gerald Krabbe, 0172 2316560, email gerald.krabbe@agravis.de.